Self-sealing envelopes



l2 Il FlG 5.

FIGA.

. 25, 1962 R. H. RICHMOND sELF-sEALING ENvELoPEs Filed June 9. 1960 3,070,280 Patented Dec., 25, 1962 3,070,280 SELF-SEALNG ENVELOPES Robert H. Richmond, Redlands, Calif., assigner to Richmond Paper Company, Highland, Calif. Filed .lune 9, 1960, Ser. No. 34,965 2 Claims. (Cl. 229-80) The present invention is d-irected to self-sealing envelopes, bags, pouches and the like and method of making same and has for an object to provide a self-sealing envelope and the like which includes the application of adhesive transfer tapes applied to paper, foil or plastic film in free form or in combination with other materials in laminated, extruded, or coated form.

It is also an object of this invention to utilize adhesive transfer tapes and method of applying the tapes to the bags, envelopes and the like, as the bag material is fed into bag-making equipment and cut with the bag, or when the bags are too large to run automatically, the tapes are applied to the bags after fabrication.

A further object of this invention is to provide a `method of making a self-sealing envelope and the like, which includes applying a removable transfer body to an envelope during manufacture, the body being located on the outer face of one Wall of the envelope, adjacent its mouth, the body, after its removal, leaving an adhesive residual on the envelope, the non-adhesive ap of the envelope being pressed against the residual to effect seal- Other objects of the invention will be manifest from the following description oft he present preferred forms of the invention, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. l is a perspective view of a transparent plastic envelope illustrating the application of the invention showing the transfer strip engaged with a wall of the envelope near the mouth of the latter;

FIG. 2 is a similar view showing the transfer strip partly removed from the envelope exposing a part of the adhesive stripe;

FIG. 3 is a similar view with the tape completely removed and the envelope ap pressed into sealing engagement with the adhesive sealing stripe;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. l looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 5 5 of FIG. 3 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of a nontransparent foil-lined bag illustrating the application of my invention thereto; and

FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional View taken on the line 7-7 of FIG. 6 looking in the direction of the arrows.

In FIGS. l to 5, inclusive, of the drawing, a conventional transparent plastic or cellophane bag 10 is illustrated which shows the envelope consisting of front and back walls l1 and 12, respectively, the upper terminal of the back wall being extended to provide a non-adhesive lip or ap 13 adapted for closing the mouth of the envelope. The present invention comprises the application of a removable adhesive transfer body, which, in the present instance, is shown to be a tape 14, one face of the body or tape being coated with an adhesive 15. During manufacture of the bag, envelope and the like, the body or tape is strategically positioned on the envelope so as to effect sealing of a non-adhesive lip or flap. After the adhesive body or tape has been applied to the envelope wall, it may be expeditiously removed by pulling one end of the tape away from the wall effecting complete transfer of the adhesive from the body or tape to leave an adhesive residual I6 on the front wall of the envelope, as shown to advantage in FIG. 2. After this has been done, the ilap or lip 13 is folded over the mouth of the envelope and the flap pressed against the adhesive residual 16, as shown in FIG. 3. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the free end of the lip I3 pends below-the locus` of the residual i6 leaving a finger-engaging tab to facilitate opening of the envelope in an obvious manner. With this invention, when the envelope flap is completely open, assuming the position shown in FIG. 2, the entire residual 16 remains on the envelope wall and is not retransferred to `the ap. By the same token, the flap may be reengaged with the residual 16 for again sealing the ap. Of course, where compelte sealing of the ilap is desired, this is accomplished by either shortening the flap or by extending the width of the body or tape.

In FIGURES 6 and 7 of the drawing, the invention is Ishown as applied to a non-transparent, lined bag, generally designated 10 including front wall 1I', rear wail l2', flap 13 and transfer adhesive body or tape 14. The bag is lined or coated with foil 17, or any other desired material, which may be impervious to moisture, of the general type used as refuse bags on commercial airplanes. The body or tape 14 is applied to the outer face of the front wall il' of the bag in close proximity to the upper end ofthe latter and, correspondingly, adjacent the mouth of the bag. When the ilap I3 of the bag is to be closed over the mouth and sealed to the bag, the body or tape 14 is peeled off effecting complete transfer of the adhesive coating from the body or tape 14 leaving an adhesive residual 16 against which the foil lining of the flap I3' is pressed to effect sealing. This has been found to be equally effective with the coated or lined bag on heavy paper, as well as on the thin cellophane envelopes or bags.

Although the device of this invention is shown and described as especially adapted for application to a wall of the envelope adjacent the mouth of the latter, it is also within the contemplation of this invention to use the adhesive transfer tape or other adhesive transfer body to the sealing ap of the envelope. In this modification, the adhesive tape or body 14 is secured to the inner face of the Hap 13 near the outer free margin of the latter. When it is desired to seal the envelope, the adhesive tape is removed from the flap and the latter pressed into engagement with the envelope body.

With the device of this invention, the envelopes, bags, and the like may be stored for use in any customary storage places, regardless of thermal changes and the moisture content in the air. They may be handled in the same manner as conventional envelopes and bags not provided with the self-sealing means used in accordance with the teaching of this invention and the adhesive will not run or ooze to contact contiguous objects.

It is to be understood that various changes may be made herein within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A self sealing envelope body with two opposed walls one of which is extended to provide a sealing flap, one only of said opposed walls having a tape positioned thereon, a tacky adhesive transfer substance coated on one face only of said tape, said adhesive being in direct contact with said one wall to primarily secure the tape to said one wall, the tape being removable from said wall when the envelope is to be sealed, leaving the adhesive transfer substance exposed, to effect sealing of the envelope when the sealing flap is pressed against the other of said opposed walls at the locus of the exposed adhesive transfer substance.

2. The self sealing envelope of claim l in which the body of the envelope is non-transparent and lined with a material impervious to moisture, the lining extending over the area or" the wall which is extended to provide the sealing Hap, the lined face of the sealing ap being sealed References Cited in the le of this patent to the envelope body when the flap is pressed against the 10 2,770,411

envelope, at the locus of the exposed adhesive substance.

UNITED STATES PATENTS Hughes Apr. 7, 1931 Yeates Feb. 19, 1935 Bennett Feb, 27, 1940 Godoy May 14, 1946 Saidel Jan. 2, 1951 Kindseth Nov. 1, 1955 Mackay Nov. 13, 1956 McFarland Nov. 1l, 1958 

